YSS-1000 Prototype Anti-Ship Spaceplane
''Sabre redirects here. For the SPARTAN-III team, see Team Saber.'' The YSS-1000,usually simply referred to as the Sabre, is a space superiority starfighter used by the UNSC Defense Force during the Human-Covenant War.[[Halo: Reach E3 Campaign Demo|'Halo: Reach' E3 Campaign Demo]][http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=2010E3 Bungie.net: Halo: Reach E3 2010 Trailer] Its first known use was in Operation: UPPERCUT during the Fall of Reach. Specifications Design details The YSS-1000 is a space-based fighter, which can be launched vertically from a ground-based launch platforms using a system of detachable multi-stage rockets to propel itself out of a planet's gravitational pull and atmosphere.The Sabre's speed is similar to the Seraph's and also has an afterburner ability which increases speed for a short duration of time. The Sabre is also capable of performing complex barrel rolls , Split S maneuvers, and Immelmann turns. Armaments The fighter's armament includes twin autocannons as well as linked "Medusa" missile pods with locking abilities. The Sabre also possesses energy shielding technology. Its targeting computer can identify enemy contacts from a long distance, as well as show the distance to a target. Operational history The Sabre was the result of the Sabre Program, a top-secret UNSC project, denied as a "preposterous rumor" by three UNSC administrations, in which SPARTAN-B312 was a pilot at some point. By 2552, the YSS-1000 served as the UNSCDF's primary planetary defense fighter.Bungie.net, Halo: Reach game stats Reach had multiple Sabre fighters stored in launch facilities on the planet's surface. In addition, the orbital platform Anchor 9 had several Sabres stored in its launch bays. During the Covenant invasion of Reach, SPARTAN-B312 and Jorge-052 of Noble Team used one of these vehicles during Operation: UPPERCUT, in which multiple Sabres were used by Noble Team and a UNSC strike team to board the Covenant corvette Ardent Prayer in order to use it to deliver a makeshift slipspace bomb to the Covenant supercarrier, Long Night of Solace. Before assaulting the Corvette, the Sabres were used to defend Anchor 9 against Covenant [[Type-27 XMF|Type-27 "Banshee"]] fliers, [[Type-31 XMF|Type-31 "Seraph"]] starfighters and Phantom Gunboats.Halo: Reach, campaign level Long Night of Solace Noble Six and the other pilots were eventually able to land on the corvette after disabling its engines and destroying its fighter escorts in order to use it and the slipspace drive to destroy the supercarrier. The mission succeeded, but the Sabres were destroyed, as the strike team was unable to return to them due to damage to the corvette and was thus forced to abandon them. Gameplay The Sabre is only playable in the space combat segment of the Long Night of Solace campaign level. Like other vehicles in the Halo games, the Sabre is piloted from third-person view. The Heads Up Display, located near the center of the screen, shows the weapon currently in use, thruster heat, as well as the hull and shield integrity of the Sabre. Enemy ships are identified by type and highlighted with a distance marker once the targeting reticle is moved on them. The HUD is slightly different depending on the weapon used at the time. Pitch and direction change is controlled by the right thumbstick, while the left stick controls speed.[http://www.gametrailers.com/video/e3-2010-halo-reach/700423 GameTrailers: E3 2010: Campaign Walkthrough HD] However, if the player holds down the Right Bumper button, a few changes are made. The auto-level functionality is disabled and now left and right on the left thumbstick gives full control over roll.[http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=1019331 HBO Forums: Sabre 'expert controls] This was a function that was initially always enabled and cut during testing, only to be re-instated at the very last minute by holding the RB button down, and so is not mentioned in the manual, official guide or even within the game itself.[http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=1019338 HBO Forums: JonnyOThan of Bungie] The Sabre also has a boost function, which uses its wing-mounted thruster engines. This fills up the thruster heat bar,which needs to cool down after continuous usage. A variety of maneuvers such as Aileron rolls (often mislabeled as 'Barrel Rolls') and Immelmann turns can be performed by using the left bumper.[http://gamevideos.1up.com/video/id/30048/bigger 1up: E3 2010: Halo Reach Stage Video Demo] The weapon in use can be switched between the machine guns and missiles with the Y button. The Autocannons have an additional reticle leading the target, and the missiles can lock-on to enemy ships.[http://e3.gamespot.com/video/6266242/?hd=1 GameSpot: Halo: Reach E3 2010 Stage Demo: Halo: Reach] Trivia *Like the UNSC's ''Longsword''-class Interceptor and ''Shortsword''-class Bomber, the Sabre is named after a type of sword. *Although Bungie experimented on implementing the Sabre into multiplayer, it only appears in the campaign due to balancing issues. *The Sabre launch sequence in Halo: Reach appears to have been inspired by NASA's Space Shuttle program, in both components and angles used for the cinematic. Several angles of the Sabre's launch sequence use similar camera angles seen during Space Shuttle launch, and the on-board cameras are used to examine foam loss on the external tank. The design of the Sabre's own external tank is somewhat based on that on the Shuttle, especially its orange color. *Crucial aspects of astrodynamics are overlooked in the gameplay of the level the Sabre appears in, Long Night of Solace. For example, when thrust is cut, the Sabre no longer maintains a constant velocity. In reality, a spacecraft's momentum would propel it forward indefinitely as friction is not present. However, it may also be that Anchor 9 is in a high atmospheric orbit, as opposed to an exoatmospheric orbit, thus explaining the decrease in speed. *The Sabre shares its name with the F-86 Sabre and F-100 Super Sabre. Both planes were key developments in aviation. *The Sabre has a seven-stage initiation sequence.Halo: Reach Official Strategy Guide, page 437 *The Sabre is much smaller and more advanced than the Longswords whose role they share. The reason that the Sabre didn't continue in service is probably due to the fact that the Sabre was a prototype and the subsequent invasion of Reach by the entire Covenant fleet and the use of the Cole Protocol resulted in their destruction. *The Sabre is shown to have control surfaces and rudders in its airframe, these systems would be entirely useless in a vacuum due to the lack of friction, however; these may be used during landing sequences in-atmosphere (another similarity to the Space Shuttle), they may also suggest that the Sabre is cabable of use within an atmosphere, much like its Longsword and Seraph counterparts. *The Sabre's target-leading radar system was first pioneered on the North American F86 Sabre, an innovation that also spawned the Heads Up Display (HUD) system. *The screen on the Sabre's control console displays an image of Sword Base. *The Sabre's shield is most likely included in the game to make it easier for players who are used to having a shield for protection as a SPARTAN to transfer over to piloting the craft in the mission. *The Sabre's health is able to recover slightly after the shield recharges. The vehicle's health recharges but any physical damage to the craft remains. The damage, however, is only cosmetic ad does not affect gameplay. *The Sabre's shields are not affected by the Black Eye skull. Gallery File:525px-SabreConcept_1.jpg|An early concept art design for the Sabre. Interestingly it shares many similarities with that of the ADF-01 Falken of the Ace Combat series. http://www.geocities.jp/omh_20060405/adf01migimaekara400.jpg File:640px-SabreConcept_2.jpg|Several early conceptual explorations of the Sabre. File:640px-Sabre_-_MissileCompartment.png|Concept art showing the details of the missile loadout of the Sabre. File:640px-Sabre_design.jpg|A conceptual model of the Sabre. File:Ih falcon fastpack01.jpg File:Ih sabre engine top and front01.jpg File:Saber Cockpit.png|The Sabre's cockpit. File:Halo- Reach - Saber Engines.jpg|A rear view of the Sabre before it lanches. File:Halo- Reach - Saber Launch.jpg|Another view of the Saber inside a launch facility File:sabre launch.png|Sabre lifting off. File:Halo- Reach - Saber Launching.jpg|Sabre fighters being launched. File:Halo- Reach - Noble Six Sabre.jpg|A front view of the Sabre's cockpit with SPARTAN-B312 piloting and Jorge-052 co-piloting. File:Reach_10499010_Full.jpg|A view from Jorge-052's perspective. File:Sabre Rocket Disengage.png|A Sabre after separating its first stage components and fuel tanks. File:Reach E310 Campaign09.jpg|Noble 6's HUD of the Sabre. File:Reach E310 Campaign10.jpg|Sabres in a battle above Reach next to Anchor 9. File:Reach-UNSC Savannah.png|Sabre fighters escorting the . File:Halo- Reach - Saber Shields.jpg|A Sabre's energy shields taking fire in combat. File:HaloReach - Space Battle.jpg|A Sabre and the assaulting a Covenant corvette. reach_10501932_Full.jpg|the sabre´s cockpit File:Reach_10498965_Full.jpg|A diagonal view of the Sabre starfighter. File:Reach_10499056_Full.jpg|A top view of the UNSC Sabre. File:Reach_11238806_Full.jpg|The Sabre fighter seen from the front. File:Reach_10499040_Full.jpg|The YSS-100 starfighter from the back. reach_11264681_Medium.jpg|Sabres in formation reach_15978498_Medium.jpg|A rough model for the Sabre used for background shots reach_14218259_Medium.jpg|The Sabre's control console piggyback.jpg|A Sabre compared to a Seraph in size reach_9798400_Medium.jpg|A battle damaged Sabre List of appearances *''Halo: Reach'' Sources See also *[[GA-TL1 Longsword-class Interceptor|GA-TL1 Longsword-class Interceptor]] *''Seraph''-class Starfighter it:Caccia Spaziale Sabre Category:Halo: Reach Vehicles Category:Drivable Vehicles Category:vehicles Category:Human Starships